Membership

Members
Committee members shall be appointed by the County Executive and will not be compensated for their participation. The Committee shall consist of no fewer than 9 members and no more than 15 members. In the event that the membership falls to 9 members, nominations will be sought to increase the membership.

Committee membership is open to Whatcom County residents and shall strive to include representatives from the following community stakeholders:

City of Bellingham (required)

Finance

Health Department staff as assigned (required)

Homeless or formerly homeless (required)

Private nonprofit agency with experience in low-income housing

Representative of small cities of Whatcom County (required)

Rural housing

Small business

Social services

Special needs

Tribes

Urban housing

Membership Responsibilities

Each member selected will commit to attendance at the meetings.

If the designated member cannot attend, the work of the group will be trusted and the group is therefore accountable to one another and the good of the whole.

Be familiar with all the prime and supportive documents, as well as the appropriate federal, state and local governmental regulations concerning the provision of low-income housing and/or related services.

Conflict of Interest
All Committee members shall avoid conflict of interest with the activities of the Committee. If Committee members find themselves with a potential conflict of interest, they will acknowledge their conflict of interest in such a manner as to allow it to be noted in the minutes. Any member with a conflict of interest will withdraw from direct action on the issue.

Term of Office
Membership on the Committee shall be terminated if a member is absent from 3 consecutive meetings without excuse. At the discretion of the Committee, the member may be reinstated or the position declared vacant and a successor recommended to the County Executive. Members may be recommended for removal from the Committee upon agreement of two-thirds vote of the remaining Committee members. The County Executive shall be advised of the recommendation.
Vacancies
The County Executive will fill vacancies as required.

Leaves of Absence
A leave of absence due to extraordinary circumstances may be granted in writing by the chairperson upon petition by a member. If granted, the member's term will continue to run but the member relinquishes all privileges and is relieved of all obligations during the leave. The member's position will remain vacant during the period of the leave. Such vacancies shall reduce the current membership of the Committee for purposes of a quorum establishment.

Reimbursement
Members shall not be compensated for their duties as members of the Whatcom County Housing Advisory Committee, but may be reimbursed for Whatcom County approved training and related travel costs (for example: registration fees, overnight accommodations, meals, mileage) as per Whatcom County "Employee Travel Policy" Number 2.2121.